第 137 章（2/2）

and within it， then， to old and young he would all allot that the Lord had sent himsave only the land and the lives of his men。

Wide， I heard， was the work commanded

for many a tribe this mid-earth round

to fashion the folkstead。

It fell， as he ordered，in rapid achievement that ready it stood there

of halls the noblest： Heorot he named it whose message had might in many a land。

Not reckless of promise， the rings he dealt

treasure at banquet： there towered the hall

high

gabled wide

the hot surge waiting of furious flame。

Nor far was that day when father and son-in-law stood in feud for warfare and hatred that woke again。

With envy and anger an evil spirit endured the dole in his dark abode

that he heard each day the din of revel high in the hall： there harps rang out clear song of the singer。

He sang who knew tales of the early time of man

how the Almighty made the earth

fairest fields enfolded by water

set， triumphant， sun and moon for a light to lighten the land-dwellers

and braided bright the breast of earth with limbs and leaves

made life for all of mortal beings that breathe and move。

So lived the clansmen in cheer and revel a winsome life

till one began to fashion evils， that field of hell。

Grendel this monster grim was called

march-riever mighty， in moorland living

in fen and fastness； fief of the giants the hapless wight a while had kept since the Creator his exile doomed。

On kin of Cain was the killing avenged by sovran God for slaughtered Abel。

fared his feud

and far was he driven

for the slaughter-s sake

from sight of men。

Of Cain awoke all that woful breed

Etins and elves and evil-spirits

as well as the giants that warred with God weary while：

but their wage was paid them！

That is， ”The Hart，” or ”Stag，”

so called from decorations in the gables that resembled the antlers of a deer。

This hall has been carefully described in a pamphlet by Heyne。

The building was rectangular， with opposite doors —— mainly west and east —— and a hearth in the middle of the single room。

A row of pillars down each side

at some distance from the walls

made a space which was raised a little above the main floor

and was furnished with two rows of seats。

On one side

usually south

was the high-seat midway between the doors。

Opposite this

on the other raised space

was another seat of honor。

At the banquet soon to be described

Hrothgar sat in the south or chief high-seat

and Beowulf opposite to him。

The scene for a flying (see below， v。499) was thus very effectively set。

Planks on trestles —— the ”board” of later English literature —— formed the tables just in front of the long rows of seats

and were taken away after banquets， when the retainers were ready to stretch

themselves out for sleep on the benches。

Fire was the usual end of these halls。

See v。 781 below。 One thinks of the splendid scene at the end of the Nibelungen of the Nialssaga， of Saxo-s story of Amlethus， and many a less famous instance。】

【嘛~~~英文看不懂也没关系，这……不重要……】

【只是史诗诗歌里面节选的一段，解释这把剑的来历，也没多大的作用……】